Alcohol ‘scare tactics’ do not affect over-14s

CHILDREN’S views toward alcohol dramatically changes between the ages of 12 and 14, when drink is no longer seen as a danger but a source of fun with friends.

New research says this is a “vital age” for educating young people, when they need to be taught personal development and given drug education.

A survey was conducted among 80 school children in the Ballymun area of north Dublin. The research was commissioned by the Ballymun Youth Action Project (BYAP). This celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday and is considered the longest-running community drugs project in the country. The research posed a series of questions to three age groups: 12-13, 14-16 and 17-18.

Findings show:

* All 12-13s said the age limit for drinking should be 18 or over, while most 14-16s thought it should be younger.

* Most 12-13s do not tolerate public drinking, while most 14-16s thought it was fun.

* Most 12-13s thought illegal drugs were worse than alcohol, while the 14-16s were divided in their opinions.

The research said that 12-13-year-olds were influenced by advertising and did not question what was being said. As a result, “scare tactics” worked on them.

By 14-16, the scare tactics were not working and awareness had to be about real-life experiences.

The report said: “When looking at the issue of advertising and raising awareness of responsible drinking, it has to be taken into account that young people enjoy drinking, and when ascertaining what message should be sent to them it is important to look at where they are at.”

It added: “The findings suggest that it is clear that if a young person is not going to stop drinking alcohol that there should be unprejudiced information about alcohol and its consumption, providing accurate and helpful information with a view to allowing young people distinguish between use and abuse of alcohol.”

The report said that 14-16-year-olds do not consider they are pressurised to drink but did so because their peers are doing so.

The report concluded: “Our findings suggest that the defining age when attitudes change is between the ages of 12-14. This is the age where peers start becoming very significant and parents start taking a back seat.

“This is a vital age for educating young people in personal development. If they are taught core personal development skills followed by drug education in secondary school they will be better equipped on the subject of alcohol and drugs.”

BYAP director Dermot King said the project was founded at a time when “heroin had begun to ravage entire communities” and when Ireland was in the midst of a recession.

He said there was a “very real risk” that frontline services will be lost if funding is cut further.

* www.byap.ie